Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Reading vs New Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairhaven has the oldest population (median age 48.5).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
New Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Fairhaven | Reading | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903Lowest |
25,612 |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Bedford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Fairhaven and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.5% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| New Bedford and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,137±$26 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,338 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Bedford and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #126 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | — | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | — | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.